Wire-and-picket-fence machine



-(No Model.) Y H. W. JACKSON. WIRE AND PICKET FENCE MACHINE.

No 598,785. Patented Feb. 8, 1898.

Wiigzsszs HOMER WESLEY JACKSON, OF CAMBRIDGE, OHIO.

WIRE-AND-PICK ET-FENCZE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 598,785, dated February 8, 1898. Application filed March 6, 1897. Serial No. 626,228. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HOMER WESLEY J ACK- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Guernsey and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useto or removed from the line-wires and will.

easily pass by splices and posts and is simple, compact, and durable.

Combined with the machine for crossing the line-wires between the pickets are spacers for holding the companion strands separated, whereby the pickets can be placed in positioni with despatch and certainty, said spacers being constructed with a view to being placed in position or removed from the fence-Wires at any desired point without requiring the cutting or the stringing of the strands through openings therein, the machine being constructed with the same objects in view. v For a full understanding of the merits and advantages of the invention reference is to be fromthe principle orsacrificing any of the:

advantages thereof, and to a full disclosure of the invention'an adaptation thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings,-in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of a portion of a Wire-and-picket fencing, showing the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the machine. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a wire-holder. Fig. 4 is an end view thereof. Fig. 5 is a detailview of a spacing block.

Corresponding and like parts are referred -to in the following description and indicated same reference characters.

The machine consists of parallel. bars 1 and 2, secured together by suitable means and having spaces 3 at intervals in their length their meeting edges and holders 4:, which are secured to one of the bars so as to occupy a central position with respect to the ends of the spaces into which they project, as shown.

' Abolt or pin 5connects the bars at their lower ends, and a similar fastening connects them at their upper ends,'or this upper fastening may be a clip, bail, or like device which will admit of the bars being quickly released and as readily secured when desired. One of the bars, as 2, has an upperhandle 6 and a side handle 7, which afford convenient means for gripping the machine and operating it when in service.

There may be as many spaces 3 as desired, and their position will correspond to the location of the fence-wires, and the top edges are straight and their lower edges slightly curved to'correspond approximately to the line of is moved upwardly and laterally to cross the wires between the pickets. Retaining-notches 8 are located at the upper corners of the spaces to receive the loose strands and secure them in proper position for the ready insertion of the pickets between the strands in the course ofconstructing the fence. These retainingnotches aline transversely with the openin gs ion strands are held the requisite distance apart to admit of the pickets being passed between them. i

The wire-holders 4c are metal plates secured to one of the bars of the machine, so as to occupy a position intermediate of the ends of the spaces 3, and these plates are located at the top side of the spaces and project into the latter a short distance and have openings 9 to receive a stand of the line-wires. The ends of the plates 4 are split obliquely, as shown at 10, forming a passage for the ingress and egress of the strands, thereby avoiding the necessity for cutting the line-wires or stringing thelatter through the openings 9. The

portions of the plate bordering upon the 0bin the several views of the drawings by the 9 in the wire-holders' l, whereby the compan-;-

formed by providing registering notches in travel of the loose strands when the machine located at a point corresponding to the interlatter are in position and the holders are lique split or passage 10 are deflected in opposite directions a sufficient distance to provide a passage of ample width for the entrance and exit of the strands. These defiected portions overlap or pass by each other, thereby precluding the escape of the strands when the placed at right angles to the line of fencing. The spreading or deflecting of the parts of the plate upon opposite sides of the split 10 results in flaring the passage 10 at its receiving end, which is of advantage, as it enables the machine to be more quickly applied to the fence-wires when placing it in position.

The spacing-blocks 11 have openings 12 near their ends and oblique slots 13 extending from the openings through their extremities, said slots constituting passages for the entrance and exit of the fence-wires when placing the blocks in position or removing them from the fence. By having the slots 13 extending obliquely to the length of the openings 12 the fence-wires and blocks will not become read ily or accidentally disengaged, inasmuch as considerable force is required to cant the blocks to bring the slots 13 parallel with the fence-wires before the latter can be removed from or placed in position for entrance into the openings 12, as will be readily understood.

The spacers and the bars are preferably constructed of wood, although any suitable material may be employed; but the holders 4&1'6 necessarily of metal in order to resist the wear and strain to which they are subjected. In order to secure the requisite tension upon the fence wires, the companion strands 14 are passed through staples 15 and 16, the staples 15 being separated the required distance and in longitudinal alinement and the staple 16 being located intermediate of. the'staples 15 and out of line therewith,whereby the strands are deflected, so as to secure the tension necessary for securely holding the pickets between them. A set of five staples is required for each pair of strands, and four of the staples are disposed at the cardinal points of a rectangle, and the fifth staple is section of straight lines drawn diagonally from the said cardinal points. The companion strands pass through the centrally-disposed staple 16, and one of the strands passes through the upper staples 15 and the other through the lower staples, as clearly shown.

After the fence-wires have been secured to the fence-posts erected along the prescribed line of fencing the machine is applied thereto by loosening the upper ends of the bars 1 and 2 and turning them upon the lower fastening sufficiently to admit of the fence-wires pass-1 ing between them into the spaces 3, after; which the upper ends of the bars are brought? together and secured, and one strand of each pair of strands is engaged with the respective holders by turning the machine at an angle to the line of fencing to admit of the strands passing through the passages 10, after which the machine is brought to a position at right angles to the line of fencing, when the strands engaged with the holders will be retained in place. The spacing-blocks are fitted to the companion strands in the manner set forth and are located in advance of the machine. A picket being inserted between the strands, the machine is moved vertically and laterally, thereby crossing the strands in front of the picket, and the loose strands being received in one of the retaining-notches 8 the machine will be held in place until a second picket can be placed in position, when a reverse movement of the machine will cross the strands in advance of the second picket. After a picket is placed in position the machine is brought against it smartly, so as to force it into the angular space prior to crossing the strands for securing it in position. The spacers are moved along the strands by bringing the machine against them with sufficient force, so as to move the parts after each picket has been bound in between the wires.

The distance between the retaining-n0tches 8 of a given space 3 is double that between the strands and the openings 12 of a spacer, and by having the holder located centrally between the notches the distance between its op'eningand either retaining-notch is equal to the distance between the strands or the openings 12. The loose strands normally rest or engage with one or the other of the retaining-notches. Hence the distance between the strands is such as to admit of a picket being easily placed in position. The upward and lateral movement of the machine causes the loose strands to pass from one end of the spaces to the other end, thereby crossing the strands, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described theinvention, what is claimed as new is 1. Awire-fence machine having a space for the reception of companion strands or fencewires, and having a stationary holder intermediate the ends of the space to receive one of the strands, and fix its position with respect to the space, the other strand being loosely confined in the said space, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A wire-fence machine having a space for the reception of companion strands or fencewires, and having retaining-notches at opposite ends of the space to receive the loose strand, and having a holder intermediate of the ends of the space to'receive and engage with the other strand, substantially as set forth.

3. A wire-fence machine having a space,

and having retaining-notches at the upper corners of the space, and a wire-holder intermediate of the said notches, substantially as set forth for the purpose described.

4. A wire fence machine having aspace to receive the strands, and having a holder intermediate of the ends of the space and projecting into the latter a short distance, and

598,785 p i I 3 6. A Wire-fence machine comprising parallel I bars having notches in their meeting edges which unitedly form spaces for the reception of companion strands, means for securing the bars together and admitting of their ready separation for the introduction and removal of the strands from the spaces, and holders secured to one of the bars and extending into the spaces intermediate of their ends, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

HOMER WESLEY JACKSON.

Witnesses:

J. J. JACKSON, J. A. CARE. 

